The morphotectonic evolution of the Albanian Dinarides: new insights from the application of in situ and meteoric Be cosmogenic nuclides

The Albanian Dinarides represent the central segment of the Dinarides–Hellenides orogenic belt. The Albanian sector is strategically located at the boundary between continental subduction to the north and oceanic subduction to the south, making it an ideal setting to explore the interplay between surface and deep geological processes. Furthermore, modern seismicity (e.g. 1979, Mw 7.1 Montenegro, and 2019, Mw 6.4 Durres earthquakes) and geomorphic features indicate ongoing tectonic activity at least since the late Quaternary. In this study, we explore the landscape response to tectonics and climate by 1) conducting an extensive geomorphic analysis including knickpoint extraction, ksn and chi analysis, longitudinal river profile projection, and mapping of geomorphic features such as windgaps, river terraces, pediment surfaces and uplifted relict landscapes, and 2) estimating basin-wide denudation rates using cosmogenic nuclides.

Specifically, we collected river sediment samples from more than 20 rivers draining all tectonic units and we determined denudation rates using the classic in situ 10Be technique for catchments draining quartz-bearing lithologies, and the new meteoric 10Be/9Be technique in carbonate and ophiolite settings where quartz-poor lithologies predominate. In a few cases, we used both techniques on the same catchments for inter-method comparison. 

The geomorphic analysis highlights the presence of river terraces, non-lithological knickpoints, uplifted relict landscapes and wind gaps suggesting recent tectonic activity at both regional and local scales. This led to a reshaping of the river network with changes in the hydraulic connectivity with the regional sea level that altered the sediment transport directions. Furthermore, Quaternary climatic variations appear to play a crucial role in the erosive power of rivers and in controlling cycles of aggradation and incision.

Denudation rates show spatial variability, ranging from less than 0.3 mm/yr to 0.9 mm/yr in the south, where carbonate and siliciclastic predominate, to over 1 mm/yr in the central part of Albania, where siliciclastic rocks and ophiolites are widely exposed. Although the rates present a good correlation with geomorphic metrics (e.g., ksn and hillslope), the observed variability appears to be influenced by local tectonic processes associated with active normal faults and salt diapirism. Overall, the denudation rates obtained with the two Be techniques are consistent and align with published incision rates derived from river terrace dating, suggesting coupling between fluvial incision and hillslope processes over the last few thousands of years. The consistency between the two cosmogenic Be methods validates the high future potential of the meteoric 10Be technique in quantifying denudation rates in settings dominated by non-quartz lithologies.